Time To Come Back
by Hollyoaks Nutter
Summary: The Costellos return to Hollyoaks and Bart has to make a life changing decision, all this as Sinead is about to have a baby. But who is the daddy? Please read and comment. Carly x
1. The American Dream

**Knee length, sleeveless cocktail dress, blood red, adorned with diamantes, plunging neckline, with silver shrug and matching sandals, hair cascading to her shoulders in perfect salon styled ringlets.**

**Jasmine had to look in her wardrobe full length mirror a few times to take it all in.**

"_**You look stunning, hun."**_

**Monica her dad's current floozy simpered as she squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. **

"_**Really?"**_

**Jasmine still couldn't believe it, despite all the evidence to suggest she actually looked okay, seeing herself dressed up, in a dress no less was strange to say the least.**

"_**You'll turn a few heads at this dance of yours."**_

**Monica assured her.**

"_**For the right reasons too.**_** Her dad interjected as he appeared as if from thin air. **_**You look absolutely amazing Jas.**_** He gushed as he engulfed her in his arms, tears welling. **_**Just like your mother."**_

"_**Don't, dad. You'll smudge my makeup."**_

"_**Exactly like your mum."**_

**Carl quipped.**

"_**Right.**_** Jasmine took two deep breaths. **_**I think I'm ready."**_

"_**Not just yet. Let me get the camera."**_

"_**Dad. No.**_** RING RING RING RING RING RING**_**. Hello. Seth, how are you? Yes I am leaving in about five minutes. Thank you. Wait…how do you…?"**_

"_**Oh yeah. There is something I forgot."**_

**Carl tried to sound slightly enthusiastic.**

"_**Seth!"**_

**Jasmine screamed and dropped the phone to the floor as she ran and jumped on her twin brother.**

"_**Get off.**_** He managed to mumble as she squeezed the breath out of him. **_**Jas you look amazing. How are you?"**_

"_**Great now. I have missed you so much. How is everyone? Mitzee, the old gang, Riyle B-"**_

"_**Bart is…actually why don't you ask him yourself?"**_

**Jasmine turned towards the bedroom door, where her brother was staring to find one Bart McQueen transfixed and smiling like a loon, wearing what appeared to be a very expensive tux.**

"_**J…Jasmine? It's rea- You look amazing."**_

"_**Bart? **_** Her mind was in overdrive. Although she had been waiting for this moment since she had told him she was leaving, she had never expected it to arrive. She had said her goodbyes and told him she was breaking all contact with her old life. For all he knew she had started her treatment and was living full-time as Jason. **_**What are you doing here? How did yo- Seth I swear I am never telling you anything ever again."**_

"_**I ended it with Sinead."**_

**Of all the things he had been rehearsing on the plane that suddenly seemed the most important.**

"_**What am I meant to say to that?**_** The anger Jasmine didn't realise she had been supressing suddenly erupted. How could he be doing this to her again? **_**I loved you and you told me you loved me too, or don't you remember that?"**_

"_**Of course I do. I never stopped loving you. But you were the one who messed things up."**_

"_**What?"**_

**It took all of the self-control she could muster in that moment to not slap him across the face.**

"_**You kissed me and then told me you were a boy. How was I meant to turn my feelings off that fast?"**_

"_**I think you managed it okay."**_

**She drawled sarcastically.**

"_**I didn't. Are you listening to me? I never stopped loving you. No one ever came close to you, not Maddie or Sinead. Even as Jason I loved you more than them. It's just taken me this long to work that out, but I don't want to…I can't lose you again."**_

"_**You had your chance Bart. In fact I gave you countless chances, but you still chose her."**_

"_**That was your idea. You made me go to London."**_

"_**I wanted you to be happy. If you didn't want me I figured you could at least have normal with her."**_

"_**It was never about feeling normal!**_** Bart sank onto her bed, his head buried in his hands. **_**It was just so difficult."**_

"_**So you took the easy way out instead?"**_

"_**Easy? You think any of this has been easy for me, or for any of us? You have changed your mind once, are you going to again?"**_

"_**No. I wanted to be Jason, you know I did, but the treatment and then the surgery…It's expensive and the waiting lists are unbelievable. I couldn't go through with it."**_

"_**So that was it? After everything you put us through you decided it was too difficult?"**_

**He was hoping she would catch on to the irony of his words.**

"_**No, it's not that simple. I haven't changed my mind completely, a part of me will always be male, but after a year of intense therapy I am beginning to feel okay and accepting of the body I have. You have no idea how stupid I feel in this dress, but I am sticking out because I am going to my first university dance and I want to feel normal."**_

"_**And you couldn't have worked this out before, or wasn't I worth it?"**_

"_**You know how much you mean to me. I just wasn't comfortable in my body. I had no confidence and you…you were the most popular guy in college. Why would you have wanted to go out with someone like me?"**_

"_**Is that what you thought? Jasmine all the girls were jealous of you, all the guys wanted to be with you and I was the lucky one, because despite everything you chose me."**_

"_**Bart I would choose you any day."…**_


	2. Real Life

It was sweltering. Jason had been tossing and turning for most of the night, his skin prickling angrily, and sweat cascading down his forehead as he gasped for breath. It was two weeks till Christmas and California was in the throes of a heat wave. He cursed fluently as he resigned himself to the fact he was getting up again, not that it mattered because in four hours they would be on a plane. It had been just over a year since he and his dad had moved out there and about two months since Seth had finally given in and joined them, when apparently living with their grandma had become unbearable, but he was still not accustomed to the climate. Straining his eyes in the dark he focused on his bedside radio alarm clock.

'_**4am' 'It is way too early to be this hot.'**_

That wasn't his only problem. He was reliving the doctor's appointment he'd had that morning and he had spent most of the day imagining his dad's reaction when he told him he was planning to stay in England or more specifically Hollyoaks with Mitzeee as she had agreed to put up him and Seth. And then he had started with that funny dream, not that it was unusual in many respects. There had not been a night since they had left that he hadn't dreamt about Bart McQueen and his old life back in Chester, but this was different, he'd been thinking about Riyle and the old gang from college – Maddie, even if she did grate on his last nerve, Neal and Jono, but due to two recent separate tragedies they were all dead and Seth, in her dream he had come back from somewhere, whereas in reality she could hear him snoring like a steam train in the room next door.

Finally accepting that sleep was going to elude him, Jason clambered out of bed, grabbed his towel and swimming shorts and crept stealthily downstairs, he decided a swim would clear his head and waste time before he had to wake his dad and Seth so they could get to the airport. Their flight was due to leave at 8am, so he had at least two hours before he had to wake them up. As he was gingerly closing the patio doors his phone started ringing. It blared out an all too familiar tune as the caller Id flashed unmistakably.

'_**Bart McQueen? At this time? And why now?'**_

Jason had been keeping abreast of the village gossip thanks to snippets of conversations he had heard his dad and Seth having with the McQueen's as they skyped to see Bobby. And it was his understanding that Sinead had recently discovered she was pregnant and Bart was planning to stand by her and the baby, so they were planning to get married. They had been together nearly two years, since Jason had convinced him to go to London and win her back, so he conceded it was his own fault. However, despite his vow to Bart that once he left the village he would never speak to or see him again he had never managed to discard his old sim card, his excuse being that he had needed to keep in touch with Riyle, which was no longer an issue and Mitzeee for her sins, but he had done well (so far). He had only thought about Bart a few hundred times a day and nearly called him on the odd occasion he had been out and got plastered with his new so called mates, but now as he stared at the screen, his heart thundering in his chest, his resolve was weakening.

The ringing stopped. He stared wistfully at the blank screen. He could always call him back; he'd obviously not changed his number. Deciding against this Jason slowly climbed into the cool water, he breathed deeply, a swim would help to clear his head.


	3. Back In Hollyoaks

"_He isn't answering."_

Bart fumed as he launched his phone across the cramped sitting room, where all the McQueen's were congregated watching a late night chick flick and supping Myra's special hot chocolate, the recipe of which she had borrowed from John-Paul.

"_Bart it is…about four o'clock there he is more than likely in bed."_

"_Three weeks Auntie Myra! How could you not tell me?"_

"_With everything that happened and then you finding out about the baby, there never seemed a right time."_

"_No, I guess not."_

Bart conceded grudgingly, but he really couldn't believe that after everything that had happened, after the plans he had made to stick by Sinead and support her with their baby, that Jason was about to come back into his life.

"_Bart you don't have to go through with the wedding I mean the girl is pregnant not dying."_

"_Jacquie!"_

"_I'm just saying that marriage is a big step. How do you even know the kid is yours?"_

"_I know Sinead. She hasn't been with anyone else."_

"_Even so, you are both very young."_

Myra offered her two cents.

"_Look I said I am going to stand by her and I meant it. I'm going to do right by my kid, not like my folks."_

"_Yeah and that is all very admirable Bart, but is she the One?"_

Bart literally felt his heart constrict in his chest.

"_She could be."_

In all honesty he knew he was in love with someone else. He had been way before he even got with Sinead, but that was more than complicated, besides things had changed.

"_Bart you can't marry her out of a sense of duty. If you love him you need to go for it, because life is way too short."_

"_I can't. I mean that's…I haven't even tal- it's complicated."_

He concluded lamely.

"_We know, but if he is coming back you owe it to yourself and both of them to be honest about who and what you want."_

"_I need to go then."_

"_Where to?"_

"_The airport. I need to speak to Jason."_

"_No Mitzeee is picking you up; she is collecting them from the airport. The flight doesn't get in till two in the afternoon."_

"_Carl too?"_

"_No he's thrown his dummy out of the pram and booked himself and Bobby into a hotel."_

"_Not to cause issues, but what about Sinead?"_

Joel interjected.

"_I can't deal with that, I need to see Jason first."_

"_You're meant to be marrying her on Saturday._ Teresa piped up. _And your engagement party is tomorrow tonight."_

"_Engagement party?"_

"_Oooops that was meant to be a surprise."_

"_Yeah well you've got that covered. What am I meant to do now?"_

"_Nothing."_

Jacquie intervened.

"_What do you mean nothing?"_

"_I mean go to the airport. If Sinead comes here or something else happens in the meantime we will cover for you. If needs be we can tell her we let slip about the party and you have gone out to buy a new outfit."_

"_That's brilliant."_

"_I know, we've got your back. Now go and get some kip. I think we're all going to need an early night, I'm guessing tomorrow is going to be interesting."_


	4. Long Distance Love

Seth turned on his computer, well the one he had borrowed from Jason and Skype came on automatically. He clicked on Sinead's address and was surprised when her face came straight into view. He couldn't help the goofy, love sick smile that crossed his face as he was able to look into her sparkling eyes, see her glowing smile and cherish her growing bump.

"_Hey, so how's my special girl? You're up late aren't you?"_

"_I'm okay, a bit uncomfortable but that is normal apparently, as is the constant sickness, so much for it being morning only. What are you still doing up? It's got to be…four where you are."_

"_It is or just after. Jason woke me up; I think he's gone for a swim. It doesn't matter though cos we are going to be on a plane in four hours anyway. I am on my way back to you."_

"_I know babe. I can't wait to see you."_

"_I can't wait either. How's my baby doing?"_

"_Fine, all is perfect apparently. I had another scan today. Do you want to see the picture?"_

"_More than anything just save it till I get to you. I want to see it close up."_

"_Seth I…I haven't managed to tell him. I want to but…"_

Sinead had been so thrown by Bart's marriage proposal the previous week, she had said yes almost without thinking.

"_I know it's okay. We can tell him together. If that's what you want?"_

"_It is. I can't do it on my own."_

She had tried. So many times she had prepared herself to tell him the truth, not only could she not marry him, but the baby she was carrying was not his.

"_Don't worry. You don't have to. Are you still coming to meet me later?"_

"_Of course. Diane is going to drop me in town and then I am going to get the train."_

"_Does she know where you're going?"_

"_No, no one does. I told her I was going shopping for maternity clothes cos nothing fits me anymore."_

"_And you still look stunning. It is amazing."_

"_Give over. I'm a fat blob."_

"_Well you are the sexiest blob I've ever seen."_

"_Yeah, well you have to say that."_

"_Do I?"_

"_Yes."_

"_And why's that then?"_

"_Because you love me."_

"_You're right I do. Do you love me?"_

"_You know I do. I've missed you so much Seth."_

"_I've missed you too babe. Don't worry. Another eight hours and I am all yours."_

"_I can't wait."_

"_Me either. I've got to go we'll be getting up soon to make our way to the airport. We have to remind dad to book the cab, and it will take forty minutes at least to get there."_

"_I better get some sleep then if I am going to be meeting you later. I love you."_

"_I love you too, bye."_

"_Bye."_

**Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep **

'_**Timing.'**_

His alarm was flashing six o'clock.

**Tap Tap Tap Tap**

"_Seth, come on it's time to get up."_

Jason's smiling face appeared around the door.

"_I know. I'll meet you downstairs." _

Seth grumbled as he was overpowered by a huge yawn.

"_Fine. I'll wake dad up and call the cab. You grab the cases they're in the spare room."_

"_Okay. Okay. God you are way too chipper for this early in the morning Jase."_

"_I've had a swim it works wonders. Come on let's get a move on, we'll have to leave in an hour or so."_

"_I know. Go and put some bacon in and that should get dad moving."_

"_You're right. See you downstairs in five."_

"_Yes Sir._ Seth mock saluted him, before pulling his quilt up over his head. _Just five more minutes." _

He grumbled sleepily.

"_I said now Seth."_

Jason shouted as he deliberately stomped down the stairs in the hopes of rousing his dad, who happened to be a relatively light sleeper.

"_Alright we're up._ Carl's voice echoed from the end of the corridor as he bumped and banged about in the semi darkness trying to find his slippers and the bedroom light. _There had better be some bacon ready when I get downstairs."_

"_There will be dad and Seth is grabbing the cases whilst I call the cab, so just make sure you've got your wallet, the keys, the tickets and the passports."_

"_They're all on the cupboard by the front door."_

He mumbled groggily.

"_Great, just get dressed then."_

"_I will. And Jason."_

"_Yes?"_

"_You are way too chipper."_

"_It's nerves I think."_

"_Whatever it is, it's annoying."_


	5. Lights, Camera and ACTION

"_I've had an idea."_

Jacquie hollered as she stomped downstairs in an attempt to rouse any of the family whom mistakenly believed they were going to have a lie in. It was barely nine o'clock and despite how late they had all gone to bed last night, she seemed as bright as a button. But there wasn't a peep from anyone else upstairs.

"_And does the whole village need to hear it or just me?"_

Bart mumbled, as he lay his head down on the breakfast bar narrowly missing the toast he had just burned in his sleep deprived state.

"_You'll do."_

Jacquie quipped as she plonked herself on a stool next to him and poured herself a cup of tea from the pot.

"_Go on then."_

Bart barely managed to stifle a yawn.

"_You want to keep Sinead out of your way today, right?"_

"_Well yeah that would be the general idea."_

"_Okay, so the best way to do that is to find out what she is doing today."_

"_Eh?"_

"_Invite her out for lunch, or a day shopping with your cousins which would go so much quicker if she was keeping you company, if you catch my drift."_

"_Yeah I get what you're saying Jac, but what if she says it sounds like a good idea?"_

"_Well we can cross that bridge when we get there, but I am guessing since she hasn't already made plans with you and she is going to see you tonight anyway, she is probably busy this afternoon."_

"_I guess I could call and ask."_

"_You better get on with it though, because you have to get ready._ She slapped him less than playfully across the back of the head as he had briefly dozed off. _Bart?"_

"_What?"_

"_Phone. Call her now."_

"_Can I at least eat my toast first?"_

"_No. No time. Call Sinead and then go upstairs and get ready. I'll make you a fry up while you're getting sorted."_

"_You're the best Jac."_

He slipped off the stool and kissed her fleetingly on the forehead.

"_I know, it's everyone else that always sounds so surprised. Right everyone up! Breakfast in half an hour."_

This time there was unanimous groaning and grunting as the rest of the McQueen's surfaced in various states of undress. Bart stumbled passed all of them as they made their way downstairs just as groggily, apparently he hadn't been the only one who'd not slept last night.

'_**Oh well here goes.'**_ _"Sinead, hi. Yeah I am okay, are you? Good. I was just wondering if you have anything planned for today. You do? I've been roped into Christmas shopping with the family, but I assumed if you maybe tagged along it would be a bit more fun. What are you doing? Shopping with Diane. No I think I'll pass on that. You can show me what you got later. I've got to go and keep the peace; world war three has started already. I know. So I'll probably see you later then, or tomorrow just give me a call. Yeah love you too, bye. Bye."_

Bart checked the time on his phone; it was getting on for half ten, he must have dozed off again. Mitzeee was calling at half eleven to pick him up, as it would take them over an hour and a half to get to Manchester airport and then they had to park the car and the Costello's flight was due in at two. He felt the usually dormant butterflies in his stomach start turning summersaults, he was excited, but nervous as hell.

"_Bart are you in the shower?!"_

Jacquie hollered up the stairs.

"_No I'm sorting my clothes."_

"_Get in the shower and let us deal with clothes."_

"_I think I can dress myself thanks Jac."_

"_Yeah well we want to help, we know how important today is."_

"_So no pressure there then?"_

"_No. We want to save you some time. Get in the shower, try and relax and by the time you're dry Carm and Teresa will have the perfect outfit for you and I'll have served up your breakfast."_

"_As long as you're sure?"_

"_Course we are. Now get a move on you've got less than an hour."_


End file.
